The Rainforest Discovery Centre RDC: Sepilok’s Gateway To The Jungle
A bridge between human civilisation and the dense Bornean jungle, home to some of the last wild orangutans left on planet earth, the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) Sepilok is a true gem and a must visit on your trip to Borneo. A skywalk allows you to walk through the reserve at the height of the canopy, giving a surreal opportunity to be in the emergent layer at the same height as our endangered cousins, structures also stand high above the bridge, towering over the canopy allowing you to spot a variety of Bornean Hornbills. The Rainforest Discovery Centre is best visited at sunrise and sunset when there are less visitors and the wildlife is most active.
Orangutans and Hornbills are just the beginning, if you’re lucky you’ll also have the opportunity to see long-tailed macaques, gibbons, monitor lizards, a plethora of birds and more! Watch out for the pig-tail macaques, they can be very defensive and aggressive! You’ll also have the chance to do the Rainforest Discovery Centre’s night walk, exploring the jungle at night gives you a whole different perspective where the insects, amphibians and arachnids come to life.
Read on to find out everything you need to know before your visit to the Rainforest Discovery Centre RDC, one of Sepilok's highlights.
Contents
Where Is The Borneo Rainforest Discovery Centre?
Sepilok is a small town located in the area of Sabah, Malaysia. Sabah is a state in Northern Borneo and is described as a natural playground. For the adventurous traveller there is the Kinabatangan River, Danum Valley and Mount Kinabalu.
The Bornean Rainforest Discovery Centre can be found in Sepilok which is a small town in the east of Sabah, near the main town of Sandakan. Nestled between palm oil plantations and immaculate rainforest the town stands strong as one of the last frontiers protecting the natural world.
The Rainforest Discovery Centre Sepilok Description
A true gateway to the jungle I can think of no better place than The Discovery Centre to explore the Borneo Wildlife. You can explore in your own time as you don’t need a tour expect if you’re doing the Night Walk.
Home to many orangutans, hornbills, birds, insects and more you’re bound to see a collection of wildlife that you may have never seen before. Not only this, if you’re a budding botanist there’s plenty of wacky and unusual plants to be discovered, my favourite was the Sepilok giant, a huge tree that towers above the rest of the rainforest.
Jungle Trails and The Famous RDC Sepilok Skywalk
The trails in the park are extensive and you can easily spend the whole day here, the highlight of the park is the Rainforest Discovery Centre Skywalk. A 620m long structure with multiple towers takes you through the height of the jungle, allowing you to get on the level of orangutans and birds and get a close up look at what life is like in the canopy layer.
Sepilok Rainforest Discovery Centre Map
Plant Discovery Garden
One of the walking trails takes you around the Plant Discovery Garden and we were lucky enough to spot a monitor lizard here by the pond! Although we didn’t spend long here (because we were hot) it was worth a short walk to see the different species of plants.
Bird Watching
You can bird watch all through the park and we found the Skywalk to be the best place to see the birds. There are also dedicated hides towards the back of the park which you can head to, the best time would be early morning or dusk.
Exhibition Hall
If you’re overheating the exhibition hall has aircon as well display boards giving facts about some the of the wildlife. The most interesting fact to me was that orangutans can learn sign language and use it to communicate feelings… mind blown.
The Rainforest Discovery Centre Night Walk
You need to book in advance! To do this send The RDC a message over on their Facebook and they will be able to book you in, you can then pay the RM30 fee in cash when you arrive and the tour starts at 6pm so arrive just before.
You’ll have a guide with you for the 2 hour walk which is super useful as they know where all the creatures are hiding. At the start of your walk you might see the flying squirrels which come out at dusk. You may also spot Colugo, Tarsier and Civet. There is no shortage of reptiles on your night walk; your guide will point out plenty of lizards, frogs and snakes and you may also be lucky enough to see a scorpion or tarantula.
Ticket Information For The Rainforest Discovery Centre Sandakan
To get tickets for the RDC Sandakan, the easiest option if you’re staying in Sepilok is to make your own way to the entrance, you’ll be greeted with a ticket office which has an entrance fee of:
Malaysian: 5-17 years old RM 3/pax. Adult 18+ RM 7/pax
Non-Malaysian: 5-17 years old RM 20/pax. Adult 18+ RM 30/pax
Opening times:
8am - 5pm
Tip: If you purchase your ticket the day before you can enter the park at 6am, this is worth doing as the animals are most active during dawn and dusk.
10 Things To Do In The Rainforest Discovery Centre Sandakan
Early Morning Bird Watching
Hornbill Tower
Exhibition Hall Museum
Visit The Plant Garden
Spot Orangutans & Macaques From The Skywalk
Visit The Sepilok Giant
Enjoy Lunch In The Forest
Walk The Famous Skywalk
Visit the Aircon Souvenir Shop
Do The Nightwalk
RDC Sandakan Common Questions
How Much Is The Rainforest Discovery Centre Ticket Price?
Malaysian: 5-17 years old RM3/pax. Adult 18+ RM 7/pax
Non-Malaysian: 5-17 years old RM20/pax. Adult 18+ RM30/pax
Will I See Orangutans At The Rainforest Discovery Centre In Sepilok?
As these animals are wild there is no guarantee you will see an orangutan, however we were lucky enough to spot a family of orangutans and our friends who visited a few days before spotted two young males meaning they are about so keep your eyes peeled.
Is There A Café?
Just before the ticket booth and entrance there is a small gift shop with a restaurant open for lunch. It also has aircon if you need to cool off and have a break from the humidity.
How Long Does It Take To Do The Rainforest Discovery Centre?
You can take as long or as little time as you need. The park is pretty big and you can easily spend the whole day here exploring plus attend the night walk which is a further two hours. You could also spend just a few hours here in the morning to beat the heat.
Tip: Book you ticket the day before and come 6am -10am to beat the heat then return in the afternoon or evening for the night walk.
What Bird Species Could I See?
Bornean Bristlehead
Blue-Headed Pitta
Sabah Partridge
Bornean Banded Kingfisher
Bornean Black Magpie
Hornbills
Wallace Hawk Eagle
How To Get To The Rainforest Discovery Centre From Sandakan?
Once you’ve arrived in Sepilok, your hotel should be able to arrange a transfer to the Orangutan Centre or you can book your own taxi via the Grab app.
Alternatively you could walk, especially if your accommodation is close by. We stayed at The Sepilok B&B, which was a nice and quiet hotel with dorm rooms available just a 5 minute walk from the Rainforest Discovery Centre. We also recommend Sepilok Jungle Resort which has a small lake on-site, perfect for early morning and evening wildlife watching, also only a 10 minute walk from the Orangutan Sanctuary & Sun Bear Centres.
How To Get To Sepilok
From Kota Kinabalu (KK)
Like most people arriving in Sabah, we also started our journey from KK. There are two main ways to travel to Sepilok, the first is via an internal flight to Sandakan. The flight takes roughly 45 minutes and costs as little as £25 plus baggage. You can find low price flights for this route on Trip.com
Then from Sandakan to Sepilok, you can follow the section below, by getting a private car or bus. Taking a flight is definitely the more expensive option but also much more time efficient.
The second way, and the way we chose, was to get an 8 hour bus across Borneo, much more suited to couples who are on a budget. The bus passes through the Mount Kinabalu National Park so provides some impressive views, it also shows you the vast scale of the never ending Palm Oil Plantations that have taken over Sabah. Book Your Bus Here With Easy Book.
From Sandakan
The first option to get from Sandakan to Sepilok is a bus that leaves four times a day and takes around 40 minutes costing RM4 per person. The bus will drop you directly outside the orangutan centre. Another option is a private car for RM50 or a grab for RM25.
Alternatively you can book a Full Day Tour From Sandakan to eliminate any hassle.
Sandakan To Sepilok Times
9:30, 11:30, 14:00, 17:00
Sepilok To Sandakan Times
6:30, 10:30, 12:30, 16:00
Alternatively if you’re travelling in a group or a family, it would make more sense to book a private car to get from Sandakan to Sepilok.
Discover The Best Time To Visit Borneo
Best Places To Stay In Sepilok
Sepilok town sits on the edge of the Sabah Jungle Reserve and acts as a gateway to the Rainforest; it is also home to some of Borneo’s Conservation efforts to protect the exceptional wildlife and educate us on the threats to their habitat. Sepilok is a small town with only a handful of accommodation options meaning we advise you to book in advance.
We use Booking.com and HostelWorld for all of our stays around the world!
Below is a list of top accommodations we recommend for Sepilok, Sabah:
Top Things To Do In Sepilok
Top Pick: Rainforest Discovery Centre
A bridge between human civilisation and the dense Bornean jungle, home to some of the last wild orangutans left on planet earth, the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC) Sepilok is a true gem and a must visit on your trip to Borneo.
Best Experience: Orangutan Sanctuary
On the edge of the Sabah rainforest reserve in Sepilok, you can find the Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre. In our eyes, an ethical centre that helps reintroduce Orangutans to the jungle.
Most Educational : Sun Bear Conservation Centre
In the middle of the Bornean Jungle lies a Conservation Centre for the world's smallest and cutest bear, the Sun Bear.
Off The Beaten Track: Head to Tungog Eco Camp
Fancy an adventure? Head deep into the jungle and find on the banks of the Kinabatangan River the Tungog Eco Camp. Spend your days on the river looking for wildlife such as the proboscis monkey, trekking in the jungle and uncovering hidden caves.
Essential Travel Items You Need For Borneo
 | Jungle Formula - High Deet Mosquito Spray The weak sprays will not work! Make sure to bring a high deet percentage spray made for the tropics. We also use Mosquito Wipes. |
 | Lifestraw - Filtered Water Bottle Allowing you to fill up water whenever and wherever with peace of mind, plus you’re helping the environment! |
 | Universal Travel Adaptor With Multiple USBs Life while travelling will never be the same again! Charge multiple devices all at once in any country... game changer. |
 | Binoculars To Spot The Wonderful Wildlife You're most likely heading to Borneo for the wildlife. Don't miss out on seeing these amazing animals up close and pack a good pair of binoculars! |
Top Tips For Travelling Borneo
If you’re visiting Borneo, here's our top tips:
Try Nasi Lemak - The national dish of Malaysia, Nasi Lemak is fresh grated coconut and steamed rice served on banana leaves.
Book flights in advance - they can become expensive if you leave it last minute… Also don't forget your Apple Airtags to track your bags.
Don't skip the Kinabatangan River - It may be pricey but this is where you're going to see most of Borneo's wildlife, including wild orangutans, proboscis monkeys and pygmy elephants.
Dress for the jungle - Pack long sleeve, lightweight materials that cover you from mosquitos but will also keep you cool. Don't forget your Raincoat as tropical downpours are frequent.
Final Thoughts on The Rainforest Discovery Centre Sepilok
A perfect park to get amongst the Borneon fauna and Flora, this should be high up on your Sepilok and Sandakan Itinerary. One of the only places in the world where you can get close to endangered orangutans plus experience some of the best jungle wildlife in the world. Walk high up in the canopy along the Skywalk and feel dwarfed by the Sepilok giant, skip over the suspension bridge by the lake and cool off in the exhibition centre, the RDC is the perfect day out.
Everyone raves about the RDC night walk so book on early and experience the jungle come to life after dark. If Borneo is on your bucket list, head to Sepilok and the RDC to encounter some of the best wildlife we have ever seen.
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Thank you for reading and enjoy your Borneo adventure. Reach out to us over on Instagram @KateandMikesTravels. We always love to hear from people who read our blogs!
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